Former NBA guard Nick Van Exel believes Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving can form a highly effective partnership for the Dallas Mavericks, while emphasizing how much the reigning Rookie of the Year can learn from the veteran point guard.
Speaking to Marc Stein on the DLLS Mavs Podcast, Van Exel expressed excitement about seeing the two play together and explained how Irving’s presence could make life easier for Flagg offensively.
“I think they’re going to be a great duo,” Van Exel said. “Coop can learn so much. You know, Coop is, like you say, 19. He’s still growing. He’s still learning.”
Irving, 34, brings extensive experience in high-pressure situations, along with elite ball-handling, finishing and shooting skills. Van Exel believes those qualities make him an ideal teammate for Flagg as the young forward continues developing his game.
“Who better to learn from, from a guy who has handles, from a guy who can finish at the rim, from a guy who can shoot the ball from long range, from a guy who can make clutch shots,” Van Exel said. “Those are all the things that Coop is going to incorporate in his game.”
Van Exel also identified a specific area where Flagg can improve in his second NBA season: becoming more effective at creating space and protecting the ball when attacking the basket.
He recommended that Flagg study Tracy McGrady, whose combination of size, ball control and scoring ability allowed him to get his shot off against defenders.
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Van Exel observed that defenders sometimes managed to disrupt Flagg by getting their hands on the ball during his rookie season. He believes learning from McGrady’s ability to slow down defenders before rising for a shot could help address that problem.
“Tracy McGrady was the king of lulling you to sleep and raising up on you,” Van Exel said. “And you’re not gonna block his shot. It’s sort of like a Kevin Durant.”
Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games during the 2025-26 regular season, shooting 46.8% from the field. The 19-year-old also averaged 2.3 turnovers per game, an area where greater ball security could help his development.
Van Exel believes Irving’s ability to attract defensive attention will give Flagg more opportunities to attack without having to create every scoring chance himself.
“I think it’s going to be different for Coop, and he’s going to realize how much easier it is for him to get to the basket because once Kyrie is doing his thing, he’s going to have all the eyeballs on him,” Van Exel said.
He added that Flagg can contribute away from the ball through cuts and pressure on the defense from the weak side, potentially creating easier finishes around the rim.
“Coop is not an offensive player that’s lazy, meaning I’m just going to sit there and watch the ball,” Van Exel said. “No, he can cut. He can put pressure on the defense on the backside.”
Van Exel also expects Irving to reduce some of the burden on Flagg during crucial moments, particularly in the fourth quarter.
“Last year the Mavs were depending on Coop to close, which was good for him because it was giving that experience,” he said. “So I think Kyrie is going to help a lot.”
The former NBA guard also praised Irving’s ability to manipulate defenders with his dribbling, recalling watching him early in his career while Van Exel was coaching in Atlanta.
“I used to be like, man, he’s effing with the game,” Van Exel said. “Like he’s really effing with the game. And the reason why I said that was ’cause he made it look so easy.”
Van Exel compared Irving’s style to that of Steve Francis, highlighting his ability to shake defenders, change direction and regain control of a matchup before attacking.
